The City Lights on the Water
by K.AudreyLeto
Summary: Dr. Brittany Pierce is so busy working long hours at the hospital and so tired that she starts to worry about her relationship with Santana. However, Santana is doing things that would make anyone worry. This was written as a gift for Brittanacon so I hope you all enjoy it as well.


**A/N: I wrote this short one shot as a gift for Brittanacon as a way of supporting their con the same way they supported faberrycon. **

**Warning: This may seem angsty but I promise it's fluff.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee, Brittana, or any song mentioned.**

* * *

**The City Lights on the Water**

Brittany walked through the door after a long night at the hospital.

Being a surgical resident was hard enough but now she had a fellowship as a pediatric surgeon; and it was like having two very difficult and taxing jobs at the same time; rather than one. Some nights her job was hard, some nights it was tragic, but most nights it was the most rewarding and beautiful job in the world.

Tonight was one of those nights.

And even though her feet were throbbing, her head was pounding, and her back had pain shooting down her spine. A pain that was almost always there because she was on her feet for up to eighteen hours a day; she was in a wonderful mood because today… she had saved a life.

It wasn't the first life she had saved since becoming a doctor, and it wouldn't be the last; but today was an exceptionally great day.

And she couldn't wait to get home to the apartment she shared with her sometimes high school sweetheart, mostly college girlfriend, and one and only best friend.

The love of her life Santana.

But when she got home, Santana was nowhere to be found.

"Santana," she called as she pushed through the front door and kicked off her shoes. She closed the door behind herself and locked it. Then she looked around for Santana before trying again. "Santana," but again there was no answer. Brittany blew out a puff of air she dropped her bag on the couch and then plopped down next to it. "Where are you?" She said out loud but obviously to herself.

Santana was a physical therapist and hardly ever worked late. When they first moved to Boston because Brittany had gotten an internship at Mass General; Santana was almost always home waiting when she would stumble through the door, dead on her feet. Santana would offer to make dinner; sometimes she'd offer to give her a foot or back massage. Brittany would almost always refuse in favor of a take-out meal and cuddling; before she would fall asleep in Santana's arms.

But lately…

Specifically, within the past month… since Brittany was offered the pediatric fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital; Santana had stopped waiting up for her. The offers of food and massages have stopped and Brittany was worried. She was worried that with her hectic work schedule she was going to lose the only person she had ever really loved.

These worries were escalated when she reached over and pressed the blinking light on the answering machine.

_You have three new messages,_" the automated voice sounded into the quiet room. "First message," there was a brief pause.

"Hey Santana," a female voice got Brittany's full attention; her eyes popped open, and she sat up looking at the machine. "This is Jess... please call me back. I have something amazing for you." Brittany could feel the jealousy coursing through her.

_Who is this Jess person and why is she giving Santana amazing things?_

"_Second message," _the automated voice snapped her attention back.

"Brittany, this is your mother. I understand that you're busy being an amazing doctor but it would be really lovely if you would call your mother once in a while," Brittany cracked a smile but it didn't last very long.

"_Third message._"

"Santana," the annoyingly sexy voice blared into the room again. "It's Jess again, please call me back. I really think you're going to enjoy what I have for you," Brittany growled and nearly broke the machine when she hit the button to shut the woman up.

_Santana wouldn't… cheat, would she?_ Brittany's thoughts were bouncing all over the place. _She's been nothing but faithful since we got back together in college._

_No._

She shook all of the nasty thoughts from her mind and with a silent promise that she'd call her mother the next day she slowly drifted off to sleep; with thoughts of work, her mom, her girlfriend, and this mystery woman all swirling in her mind.

It sure made for a very intense and extremely odd dream.

/

"Hey babe… I've got take-out," Santana's voice called into the apartment. She closed the door behind herself and locked it before she walked toward the living room. As soon as she saw her amazing, brilliant, and stunningly beautiful girlfriend asleep on the couch she smiled. She walked around the couch, pulled Brittany's shoes off, and then draped a blanket over her. She leaned over and pressed her lips to Brittany's forehead.

"I love you the most," she whispered before standing fully. She pressed the message button on the answering machine as she made her way to a nearby chair. As the first message played a smile spread across her mouth. She pulled a plastic fork out of the bag and began eating her Chinese food. Her smile widened as the second message played.

_She missed Brittany's mom so much sometimes_- she thought. _She missed all of their family really._ She got to her feet with the intent to call Brittany's mom but as she stood up the third message began playing; and she smirked.

So instead of calling Mrs. Pierce she dialed a different number… it rang once.

"Hey Jess, it's Santana… I just got your message," she paused as the girl spoke. "That sounds amazing, when can we meet?" And as she talked to this girl Brittany slept peacefully without a clue as to what Santana was doing.

And that was exactly how Santana wanted it.

* * *

A week later Brittany got the same awful feeling in her stomach when she got home; it was very similar to the feeling she had when she first heard those messages from Jess and that same feeling followed her around the whole week.

Her mind was constantly on Santana and whatever she was doing. It wasn't as if she didn't trust her girlfriend because she did; she was just worried.

She was uneasy.

And as she walked into their apartment she felt the familiar knot in her stomach. The same one that had been there since last week and the call. The same feeling of dread spread throughout her body whenever she thought too much about what Santana might be doing with her. The same fear that she now had every time she walked into their apartment.

And today- unlike all week- she wasn't filled with immediate relief because today Santana was home.

Today… when she walked in she saw her girlfriend standing near the couch and she wasn't happy to see her. It was almost as if coming home to an empty apartment was better because she could avoid seeing her, and looking into those eyes as Santana lied to her face. She had always been able to see through Santana's bluster and b.s.

And this time was no different.

Santana was lying to her, that much was clear the morning after Brittany heard those messages and Santana flat out lied when she asked about it.

And for the whole week since she was relived every day when she came home and Santana wasn't there because ignorance is bliss. She would rather not see her than to have to watch her lie, allude, and willingly break her heart.

But today was different… today Brittany was filled with fear because this time Santana was standing right there, with the phone clutched in her hand.

And as she got closer she could hear it… whispering.

"No… I can't right now," Santana whispered into the phone. It was a few beats before she spoke again. "Yeah… she's here," again there was a pause. "Yes right now, look I'll try my best to get out… I gotta go," and with that Santana quickly ended the call just as Brittany stepped fully into the room.

"Hey babe," Santana said as she turned to face her.

"W-Who was that?"

"Huh?"

"On the phone," Brittany said without any emotion in her tone or in her expression as she internally beat down her anger.

"Oh uh…" Santana chuckled nervously and Brittany arched an eyebrow. "I-It was my mom."

_Lie._

"Oh," Brittany said stoically. She knew Santana better than that. "And what did she want?"

"She wanted t-to um… remind me that my father's birthday is next week and if I didn't get him a gift he'd disown me."

_Lie._

"Oh," Brittany repeated as she felt her stomach twist into knots again.

"S-So I um… I need to run out and get something so that I can get it mailed out tomorrow."

"Okay," Brittany agreed; again with no emotion in her tone. And within seconds Santana was gone.

Brittany held back the tears. She wanted to curl into a ball. She wanted cuddle in bed and cry her eyes out.

She didn't want to be the kind of person who spied and snooped, but she needed to know.

And a moment later; she regretted ever doubting her amazing girlfriend.

She picked up the phone, looked at the caller ID, took her cell phone out of her bag, and dialed the number… it rang twice.

"Thank you for calling Hidden Gems Jewelers, specializing in wedding and engagement rings, this is Jess speaking, how may I help you?" Brittany quickly hung up the phone as realization spread throughout her body and a smile spread across her face.

_Well that explains all the secrecy._

And suddenly she felt very stupid, and angry with herself for ever doubting Santana; she decided she would blame it all on lack of sleep because she really does know Santana better than that.

And then she did cuddle in her bed but the only tears she shed were tears of joy.

_Santana wanted to marry her._

_And she would never doubt her future wife again… no matter what._

/

Santana rushed into the jewelry store and was greeted by the girl who had been helping her find the perfect ring all month.

"Hey Santana," she greeted with a smirk.

"Hey… let me see it," Jess chuckled at Santana's excitement and pulled a ring out of the safe. When she opened it for Santana to see, she smiled when the girl's eyes lit up.

"What do you think?"

"It's perfect," Santana cooed never taking her eyes off the ring. "Brittany's going to love it."

"If you don't mind me asking… have you planned, um… how you're going to ask her?" Santana merely nodded with her evil smirk and Jess could only smile as Santana gave her the details.

* * *

Brittany was busy at work. It was a relatively slow night on her shift so she was getting some paperwork done. What she didn't know was that Santana was on the roof preparing for the big moment.

Santana had cleared it with Brittany's boss and co-workers to make sure she was covered for the rest of the night.

She took one last look out at the view of the Charles River and the lights of the Boston skyline setting the perfect back drop for this moment.

She pulled out her phone and tapped out a quick text to one of the attending surgeons.

/

Brittany was filing some paperwork away when she heard her name over the intercom.

"_Dr. Brittany Pierce, you are needed on the roof… Dr. Brittany Pierce please report immediately to the roof._" Thinking that a patient was being brought in via helicopter she dropped what she was doing and made her way to the roof.

Once there; the elevator doors opened and she expected to see a helicopter, EMT's, nurses, and doctors… instead all she saw was Santana.

_Her Santana_.

And the beautiful view in front of her.

It was breathtaking.

She took a few steps forward and the elevator doors closed out all of the sounds of the hospital.

"Santana, w-what are you doing here?"

"Look Brittany… I'm sorry about all of the secrecy I know it was worrying you."

"How'd you know?"

"Because I know you," she answered simply and Brittany smiled.

"But-"

"Brittany… I just wanted everything to be perfect," she held out her hand and held her breath. She released the breath slowly, a moment later, when she felt Brittany's hand in her own. Santana grinned and led her closer to the edge of the roof so that the amazing view lit up the beauty of Brittany's face.

And then Santana turned to face her.

"Do you remember; we were sitting there by the water?" She asked softly and Brittany nodded; a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Our first real date," Brittany continued the story and Santana nodded; she was fighting back tears of her own and also losing.

"You put your arm around me for the first time," Santana said and Brittany nodded this time. "That was the first time in my life… I felt safe and free to be myself. "Brittany, you are the best thing that's ever been mine," she said before falling to one knee in front of the girl of her dreams; Brittany sucked in a breath.

"And I want that feeling to last forever. Brittany… I want you to be mine forever. I want you to be my wife," she pulled the ring out of her pocket and opened the box revealing the gorgeous ring to her as she smiled through her tears. "Will you marry me?" Brittany was nodding her answer as she cried before she finally said the words.

"Yes… a million times yes Santana," then Santana was on her feet, and wrapping her arms around Brittany's waist. She brought their lips together in the sweetest of kisses.

From the lights of the Lima City Park reflecting off of the pond to the lights of the Boston Skyline reflecting off of the Charles River.

Through the trials and tribulations of being queer teens in a decidedly close minded town, to a whole new set of problems when they were separated by college, and Med school, and long work hours… Santana had always been Brittany's.

And Brittany had always been hers.

"When I'm with you, it's alright… I know it's right," Santana whispered as the kiss broke and Brittany met her eyes. "It's always been right… when I'm with you."

"And I have always and will always love you the most," Brittany told her before Santana pulled her into another beautiful, and heated kiss.

And as they kissed with a love that has always been full of passion they had the city lights on the water creating the perfect mood and the sounds of the city creating the perfect music.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

It would be better.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," Santana chanted in between kisses.

_Like never before._

"_Do you remember all the city lights on the water?_

_You saw me start to believe for the first time."_

_Taylor Swift; Mine_

**END.**


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